Infant Safety Apparatus

ABSTRACT

An infant safety apparatus. The apparatus includes a harness and a flexible base that are affixed to each other at a juncture. The harness includes a plurality of members for securing an infant&#39;s midsection to the flexible base, such that a portion of the infant&#39;s back contacts the flexible base. The flexible base includes a plurality of arms for securing to a bed mattress, such that each arm retains the flexible base in place. The infant safety apparatus is designed to maintain the infant in a supine position or side position while preventing the infant from overturning onto a prone position, such that a rear side of the infant continuously contacts the flexible base while the infant is secured within the apparatus. In this way, the infant safety apparatus maintains the infant in a secure position and facilitates breathing by the infant.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/665,204 filed on May 1, 2018. The above identified patent application is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.

The present invention relates to an infant safety apparatus. More specifically, the present invention provides an infant safety apparatus for securing an infant and lowering a risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome often occurs when an infant is placed within a crib. Though the causes of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome are unknown, suffocation may play a role, and an infant's face may be smothered by the blanket or mattress when the infant is placed on or moves onto their stomach which can cause suffocation. Further, some infants suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease, for which an infant's discomfort from symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease may be exacerbated when the infant is placed in a prone position, which involves the infant being placed on his or her stomach. Traditional infant safety apparatuses may maintain an infant in a desired position, but such apparatuses typically fail to maintain the infant in a supine position.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an infant safety device for preventing the infant from overturning onto a prone position. The present invention fulfills this unmet need.

In light of the devices disclosed in the known art, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in structure and function from the known art, and substantially fulfills this unmet need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of infant safety apparatuses now present in the known art, the present invention provides a new and improved infant safety apparatus, wherein the same can be utilized for providing improved safety to an infant that is placed within a crib or bed, whereby the infant safety apparatus prevents the infant from overturning onto a prone position on a surface of the crib or bed.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved infant safety apparatus. The infant safety apparatus includes a harness that is pivotally affixed to a flexible base, wherein the harness envelops the midsection of an infant and the base abuts an upper surface of a mattress, which may be disposed within a crib. The base includes a plurality of arms that are securable to one or more spindles of the crib, wherein the arms extend laterally outward from each end of the base, such that the base is maintained at a central position within the mattress. The harness includes a plurality of members that secure to each other via a suitable fastening mechanism, such as a side release buckle or an adhesive. The infant safety apparatus is designed to maintain the infant in a supine or side position and prevent the infant from overturning onto a prone position, thereby enabling the infant to breathe and preventing smothering of the infant that can result when the infant is in the prone position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the infant safety apparatus with an infant therein.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the first embodiment of the infant safety apparatus in an open position.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the first embodiment of the infant safety apparatus in a dosed position.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the infant safety apparatus with the infant therein.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the second embodiment of the infant safety apparatus in an open position.

FIG. 6a shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of the infant safety apparatus in an open position.

FIG. 6b shows a perspective view of the third embodiment of the infant safety apparatus in a closed position.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a securement mechanism of the third embodiment of the infant safety apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the infant safety apparatus. For the purpose of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, particular embodiments will be discussed as used for providing improved safety to an infant when the infant is placed on a bed or crib mattress. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, there are shown a perspective view of a first embodiment of the infant safety apparatus with an infant therein, a perspective view of the first embodiment of the infant safety apparatus in an open position, and a perspective view of the first embodiment of the infant safety apparatus in a closed position, respectively. The infant safety apparatus 11 includes a harness 60 that is pivotally affixed to a flexible base 40, wherein the harness 60 is configured to move from an open position to a closed position. In some embodiments, the flexible base 40 and the harness 60 are composed of a flexible thermoplastic material such as polypropylene. Further, in some embodiments, the harness 60 comprises a disposable and absorbable fabric material configured to receive an infant's waste. While in the closed position, the harness 60 upwardly adjusts to supported and envelop the midsection of an infant, wherein the harness 60 is disposed along a linear axis at an elevated position relative to and parallel with the flexible base 40. When in the open position, the harness 60 is positioned flat against an upper face of a mattress. In the shown embodiment, the flexible base 40 extends transversally across the upper face of a mattress. wherein a first arm 41 of the flexible base 40 and a second arm 42 of the flexible base 40 are securable to a spindle of a baby crib via flexible straps 21, 22. The straps 21, 22 can be tied to the crib spindles or bars, or may include fasteners for removably securing the straps 21, 22 to the crib spindles or bars. Additional straps may be attached to the device, such that multiple straps can be secured to the crib spindles or bars in a desired configuration. In the open position, the apparatus is configured to removably receive the infant therein. In this manner, a caretaker can easily place the infant into or remove the infant from the apparatus. Likewise, in the closed position with the infant therein, the apparatus secures the infant in place to improve safety of the infant.

The harness 60 comprises a first member 61, a second member 62, and a third member 63, wherein the first member 61 extends perpendicularly from the second member 62 and the third member 63. The second member 62 and the third member 63 extend laterally from opposing sides of a first end of the first member 61. When the harness 60 is in the closed position, the first member 61 extends upwardly between the legs of the infant, and the second member 62 and the third member 63 extend laterally across the midsection of the infant. In this manner, the infant is enveloped within the harness 60 to increase the safety of the infant. In some embodiments, the harness 60 is configured to retain the infant in the supine position, thereby eliminating a risk of the infant turning onto the prone position. In other embodiments, the harness 60 is configured to enable the infant to move onto a side, thereby permitting the infant to develop its strength and coordination.

The harness 60 and the flexible base 40 are adjoined with each other at a first juncture 81, wherein the first juncture 81 is monolithic with the first member 61. In the illustrated embodiment, the harness 60 and the flexible base 40 are further adjoined with each other at a second juncture 82 and a third juncture 83, wherein the second juncture 82 is disposed on a distal end of the second member 62 of the harness 60 and the third juncture 83 is disposed on a distal end of the third member 63 of the harness 60. In the illustrated embodiment, the second juncture 82 and the third juncture 83 each comprise a side release fastener that is configured to be length-adjustable, such that the harness 60 may securely envelop the infant in a supine position and prevent the infant from overturning to a prone position. The second juncture 82 and the third juncture 83 comprise a hook fastener that is configured to removably secure to a complementary loop fastener on an upper side of the second member 62 and the third member 63, respectively. The second juncture 82 and the third juncture 83 further comprise a side release buckle fastener that is configured to enable a user to selectively adjust a tightness of fit of the second member 62 and the third member 63 around the infant, thereby retaining the infant in the supine position.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, there are shown a perspective view of a second embodiment of the infant safety apparatus with an infant therein, and a perspective view of the second embodiment of the infant safety apparatus in an open position, respectively. In the shown embodiment, the flexible base further includes a third arm 43 and a fourth arm 44 each laterally extending from a lower end thereof, wherein the third arm 43 is disposed opposite the fourth arm 44. Further, in the shown embodiment each arm is securable to the spindle of the baby crib, such that the flexible base 40 is circumscribed within a perimeter of the mattress within the baby crib.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the first member 61 comprises a padded material including a tapering configuration, wherein a distal end of the first member 61 comprises a larger diameter than a diameter of a proximal end of the first member 61. In this way, the padded member is configured to contact the infant's stomach when the harness 60 is placed in the closed position. Further, in the shown embodiment, the second juncture 82 and the third juncture 83 each comprise a side release buckle fastener, wherein the second member 62 and the third member 63 each comprise a male member of the side release buckle fastener that is removably securable to a complementary female member of the side release buckle fastener on opposing lateral ends of the first member 61.

Referring now to FIGS. 6a, 6b , and 7, there are shown a perspective view of a third embodiment of the infant safety apparatus while in an open position, a perspective view of the third embodiment of the infant safety apparatus while in a closed position, and a perspective view of a securement mechanism of the third embodiment of the infant safety apparatus, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the harness 60 with the flexible base 40, whereby the first juncture 81 defines a portion that bifurcates the infant safety apparatus 11, whereby the harness 60 is flexibly rotatable relative to the flexible base 40. Further, in the shown embodiment, when the harness 60 is placed in the open position, the second member 62 and the third member 63 directly underlie the first arm 41 of the flexible base 40 and the second arm 42 of the flexible base 40, respectively. The first member 61 and the third member 63 each include a plurality of tape adhesives that are disposed in a parallel configuration. When the harness 60 moved to the closed position, the second member 62 is folded toward the front midsection of the infant, the third member 63 is folded over the second member 62 and is secured thereto via the plurality of adhesives disposed on an inner face of the third member 63, and the first member 61 is folded atop the third member 63 and secured thereto via the plurality of tape adhesives on an inner face of the first member 61.

In the shown embodiment in FIGS. 6a, 6b , and 7, a first strap 91 and a second strap 92 are disposed on the first arm 41 and the second arm 42, respectively, wherein the first strap 91 and the second strap 92 are configured to wrap around a spindle of the baby crib and be tied in a knot, thereby stabilizing the flexible base 40 and the harness 60. The infant safety apparatus 11 is configured to maintain an infant in a supine position and prevent the infant from overturning on their side or onto a prone position, such that the infant may safely breathe and may not be suffocated, which may otherwise occur when the infant is placed in the prone position.

In the first embodiment, the positioning of the side release buckle fastener on each of the second member 62 and the third member 63 is configured to provide tension on each lateral side of the infant while providing ample space for the infant to breathe while the first member 61, the second member 62, and the third member 63 envelop the infant. The tapering configuration of the first member 61 of the second embodiment provides an advantage in providing additional space for the infant's legs, whereby a lower portion of the first member minimally contacts a groin portion or other portion between the infant's legs, such that the infant's legs are free to move while the infant is secured within the harness 60. The third embodiment provides an advantage with respect to the securement means of the tape adhesives within each of the first member 61, the second member 62, and the third member 63, such that the infant is potentially more safely secured in the supine position than in the first and second embodiments.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

I claim: 1) An infant safety apparatus, comprising: a harness that is configured to secure about a midsection of an infant; wherein the harness is attached to a flexible base via a juncture; wherein the harness includes a first member configured to extend upwardly between the legs of the infant; wherein the harness further includes a second member and a third member that extend outward from opposing sides of the first member; wherein the second member and third member are removably securable to the flexible base; 2) The infant safety apparatus of claim 1, wherein the arms of the plurality of arms are configured to extend beyond a periphery of an upper surface of a mattress, whereby the arms are securable to one or more items selected from a group consisting of: one or more spindles of a baby crib, the mattress, and a combination thereof. 3) The infant safety apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a padded material. 4) The infant safety apparatus of claim 1, wherein during use of the infant safety apparatus, the first member extends upwardly between a pair of legs of an infant, and also extends along a front side of the infant, such that the first member contacts a midsection of the infant. 5) The infant safety apparatus of claim 1, wherein during use of the infant safety apparatus, the second member and the third member extend laterally across a front side of an infant, such that a juncture of the first second and third members is disposed on the front side of the infant. 6) The infant safety apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one member the harness is length-adjustable to accommodate various infant sizes. 7) The infant safety apparatus of claim 1, wherein each arm of the plurality of arms is adjustable to accompany a specifically dimensioned bed or mattress. 